Flaw in Android web browser puts users at risk

A recently discovered flaw in Androids web browser is apparently so serious that security researchers are advising people to stop using it altogether. The flaw, capable of letting someone take control of a phone's browser and related processes, could result in data like web transactions and stored passwords being stolen. The concern is that with the increasing number of users that take advantage of services like online banking, someone could try and harvest data from the phone.

The flaw has been public for a while, with Google knowing about it at least as early as the third week of January. A fix was created by Google, but has not yet been pushed out to Android phones. Until then, one researcher says, it's better to avoid using browser and otherwise only visit trusted sites over the T-Mobile network only. Of course, owners of the G1 smartphone will hardy find this an acceptable solution.